Choke or Pin cherry?

Discussion in 'Plants: Identification' started by mimmo, Jul 26, 2014.

  1. mimmo

    mimmo Active Member 10 Years

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    Tons of Saskatoon berries this year, but am wondering if these are pin or choke cherries? I imagine you can make jellies with either...
    thanks
     

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  2. Daniel Mosquin

    Daniel Mosquin Paragon of Plants UBC Botanical Garden Forums Administrator Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Look more like pin cherry to me.
     
  3. Axel

    Axel Active Member

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    Fruit has no calyx attached to it, it's choke cherry.
     
  4. Daniel Mosquin

    Daniel Mosquin Paragon of Plants UBC Botanical Garden Forums Administrator Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Not sure if the calyx character is useful for pin cherry (Prunus pensylvanica) vs. choke cherry (Prunus virginiana) - I don't see persistent calyces on pin cherry images either. But, you're right in the identification, Axel -- chokecherry because the infructescence is emerging from the previous year's growth.
     
  5. Axel

    Axel Active Member

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    Sorry, I mixed P. pensylvanica up with P. serotina, because P. virginiana is more easily confused with P. serotina - the inflorescence/infructescence is really different on P. pensylvanica (corymb instead of the elongated raceme of P. virginiana).
     
  6. mimmo

    mimmo Active Member 10 Years

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    thanks everyone, sounds like choke cherry is the verdict...
     

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